My Gym Bag

This is a detailed list of everything I keep in my gym bag. I get asked all the time about the different accessories I use. To be honest, you don’t need any of the fancy stuff out there. Stick to your basics and you’ll have more than you need.

First off, I carry an Adidas medium size black bag. Two side pockets and opens from the top.

Squat Shoes- I only bring these on my leg days. I wear a trashy old pair of black high top converse with raggedy laces. I’ve had these for years and they are some of the best shoes to squat in, especially if you don’t want to put out for those Romaleos. They lace up nice and tight and they are flat.

Fat Gripz- I got these as a gift and they make the world of a difference. At first I didn’t think they would do much, but they are amazing. They help train your grip strength more than anything, but I’ve found some other exercises that they make a good accessory for. I usually use it on my bicep and back lifts. I found they are amazing for dumbbell close presses. I’ll be honest, the only downside of Fat Gripz is that they are heavy in the gym bag. I take them out of my bag if I’m not planning to use them

Lever Belt- The belt. The only thing that matters. I used to have a cheap leather belt from Big 5 and as it started tearing I finally upgraded to a lever belt. I was hesitant at first, but I absolutely love this thing. I have a lot of good things to say about this belt. If you don’t get a lever belt look at the thicker double or single pronged belts. I think the type of belt depends on the type of lifts you typically do.

Chalk Bag- got one of these because the local gyms never had chalk (for good reason). Sometime your hands just don’t feel right and chalk gives you that tight firm connection to the bar. So if your hands get slippery, the bar isn’t quite right, or your gym partner puts lotion on before you came to gym chalk can save the workout.

Clamps- These are one of those things you’re like, “why would I bring my own clamps to a gym full of clamps?” Well, because despite the logic of how many clamps you think a gym would have sometimes you just can’t find them. I use these clamps every single day. The best part, they are so easy to get on and off. Straight up. Changed my life.

Wrist Straps- I stopped using my wrist straps overtime. I wanted a stronger grip strength and I felt like they hindered my progression. However, I’m a huge advocate if your grip strength is getting in the way of working out your back. Wrist straps can let you keep going when you can’t grip the bar any more.

Wrist wraps- Oddly enough I use my wrist wraps only for squatting. When I started powerlifting I used a lower bar method and the heavier the weight got the more pressure on my wrist and forearms. I would get this tendinitis in my elbow and forearm. So I started using wrist straps to correct my form and give me some better support. Changed my squats and anything about 225 I use wrist wraps on.

Knee wraps- I never carry these unless I’m PR-ing for squats. I Like knee wraps for maxing out but I think knee sleeves are more ideal for everyday lifting. Wraps are bulky and heavy but it’s a preference thing. Let me know your thoughts on knee sleeves.

That’s my list for the most part. I didn’t include the occasional sour patch kids. If you have any questions or even suggestions for things I should check out comment below.